


Birthday.

by AliTheHierophant



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 18:45:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4533123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliTheHierophant/pseuds/AliTheHierophant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You know how everyone eagerly waits for their birthday?<br/>There is one person in this world that doesn't.<br/>And Joel just can't understand why Ray wouldn't want to have a birthday celebration or have birthday gifts at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amari my Joelay shipping partner](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Amari+my+Joelay+shipping+partner).



> A little something I'm making in the light of certain personal events I've been going through with my partner. Maybe writing it will make me understand.  
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> An impressive 1652 words for my first fic after such a long hiatus. Enjoy.

Maybe Joel was going insane this time, _for real._

But maybe not. Maybe it was just that Ray was really,  _really_ stubborn.

"Look Joel," He said. "I love the fact that you're such a wonderful boyfriend, and I honestly couldn't ask for more. I like- no, I love all the small details you have with me. The roses you keep sending, even though I told you I don't know where to put them anymore, or the stupid gold compliments you somehow always send me when we don't see each other. Seriously. I appreciate all of it. But-"

That's when Joel lost his patience.

"But then what? What's so wrong about another gift Ray?" He snapped, giving him a quizzical and slightly fed up gesture.

Ray just grimaced, then proceeded to frown before taking a deep breath.

"I don't feel comfortable with birthday gifts, Joel. We've talked about this." He finally stated, staring into Joel's eyes. The older man just made a frustrated noise and looked away.

"Fine. Just fine. I will be an asshole then. No more gifts. I will stop if it affects you  _so much._ " And although for the most part Ray felt suddenly relieved that he wouldn't have to anxiously await any more gifts, on the other hand he felt suddenly very,  _very guilty._

"I... Are you m-mad at me?" He asked quietly after a long pause. Joel just shrugged and looked away.

"I'm done talking about this." He replied flatly. Ray's heart sunk. His lover was rarely ever cold at him, and the last time he'd been so cold was when he was utterly stressed out from work. Something was clearly wrong. Ray looked away from the screen and blinked a few times, trying to hold back the childish tears that were threatening to run down his face.

"I- I have to go... Things to do at home, y'know... Talk to you later, yeah?" He mumbled, not daring to look at his boyfriend. Joel only grunted in acknowledgment before silently ending the video call.

"Goodbye..." Ray mumbled before burying his face in his hands. He hated to admit it. He  _refused_ to admit it.

He did want a birthday gift, after all. It had been a long time since the last time he'd received any. But at the same time, he still remembered the last time he had been given any gifts at all. The look on his parents face when he opened the gift. And the realisation when he found out on the internet just how damn expensive the thing was. He could remember the hundreds of times that his parents would make sure he knew how expensive he was to them. How much they would spend on him for him to be an "ungrateful son" to them.

And of course Ray would be internally conditioned to dread the idea of getting a gift from anyone at all. The worst part would be when, if anyone actually did give him a gift, they would go ahead and do the exact same thing as his parents. Over, and over again. Ray already knew it. Gift, happiness, argument, complaints, gift reminder, bigger argument, anxiety.

So when Ray went to bed that night, he could already feel the anxiety boiling inside him. The pain in his chest was already starting to kick in, and when Ray managed to fall asleep, all he could think of was of how much he wished Joel could understand.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Joel went to work as usual. He had to. Life kept going on. But he couldn't help feeling a deep, painful hole in his chest. Maybe something was wrong? Was it something he ate?

_No,_ a little voice muttered inside his head,  _it's not that, and you know it._

Joel kept sighing whenever he remembered this little voice. After all, he knew that he'd left an argument unfinished with Ray the night before, and saying he felt like crap for it was an understatement.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Adam asked after what felt like the hundredth sigh that day. Joel breathed heavily for a moment before even acknowledging the question.

"Let me ask you something, Adam. Why would anyone not want a fucking birthday gift, at all?" Was his answer, as he turned to look at his friend. Adam frowned.

"Well, depends on the situation Joel."

-·*·-

"What do you mean why would anyone not want to respect your petitions?"

Gavin was half gaping at his friend. Ray's face was, for once, serious as he nodded.

"Yeah. Like, if I tell you not to do something and I mean it for real, you don't do it to respect my choice, right?"

"Right."

"So, why if I asked Joel not to give me anything for my birthday, he got upset and had an argument with me over it?"

"Wot?!"

"I know right!"

The two young lads sat there in silence for what felt like an eternity. Gavin then gasped and raised his finger in that I-got-an-idea gesture.

"Maybe he already got you a present!" He wondered, almost excitedly. Ray tilted his head in return.

"He- how?"

"Well, you've been dating for what, 2 months now?"

"Almost 3."

"There. So he already got you a present and you said he'd be coming next month?"

"Yeah, so what?"

Gavin shuffled in his seat, making his excited little noises. The kind of noises he'd made when he figured out the birthday party Michael was throwing for him on his birthday- even though it was not an accurate guess. They had just played along with it since he seemed so excited about the mere thought of it.

"So here, this is what could be happening: he knows what things you like, so he got you a present for your birthday which is next week. And- and he was trying to find out what you wanted for a gift just to be sure he had made a good choice! And now- now he's just upset cause he thinks that his gift is bollocky and useless. But it wouldn't, if you don't know what it is or how costly it could be?"

Ray hesitated for a moment. "I mean- maybe you're right. That actually doesn't sound completely outrageous. But still! Why doesn't he just say  _I just got you a birthday present but I want to be sure it's something you'd like_?" He made a poor imitation of Joel's voice, making Gavin laugh.

"'Cause he knows you become a mingy little prick when it comes to gifts-" A smack to Gavin's head was promptly followed by his squeaks. "Your Joel impression sucks, by the way- Ow!" Another smack.

"Asshole. Fine. I guess I'll try hinting at stuff I like."

-·*·-

"You know, Joel, maybe he's just worried that if he asks for something it's too expensive for you or something like that." Adam concluded after they were done with their work.

Joel frowned. That was definitely not an alternative he would've considered. "I mean, yeah, but at the same time, why? He's a humble person, for what I understand. Unless he wants like, fuck if I know, one of those gold iWatch things that cost a hundred million fucking dollars or so, then this logic would make sense..." His voice trailed off.

"Maybe you should ask, then. If Ray doesn't want a gift, there must be a reason behind it." Adam grumbled before shaking hands with Joel as a farewell.

Joel drove home deep in thought, barely needing to focus on the road. He knew there had to be something causing Ray to be so concerned about a gift. In other stances, such as video calls or phone calls that normally made him anxious, he'd slowly developed a liking to them, enough to tolerate at least 3 calls a week. Maybe the gift would be the same? Joel knew for sure that he wouldn't just not spoil his boyfriend with as many gifts as he could. Since there was a long distance between them, there had to be at least a way of making his presence physical to Ray. And Joel kept thinking that gifts were the answer to this dilema.

When Joel got home, he automatically looked at his phone, honestly shocked to see already 3 messages from Ray.

[Br0wnM4n]:  _Hey, if you're not too mad at me, I wanted to tell u I thought about gift ideas_

[Br0wnM4n]:  _I hope u know this is fckn hard for me btw_

[Br0wnM4n]:  _I... I really like FPS games. So like, anything that has guns and shooting on it, I guess_

[Br0wnM4n]:  _I luv u_

Joel's heart skipped a beat. Maybe, just maybe, being patient could give him positive results. He immediately dialed Ray's number and pressed the phone against his ear.

"Hello?" Ray's muffled voice answered.

"Hey." Joel replied curtly, yet smiling fondly.

"Oh. Hi. Sup." 

"I just received your messages."

"And?"

"So, hypothetically speaking, if I were to get you a game called Rainbo-"

"RAINBOW SIX SIEGE?!" Ray's scream took Joel by surprise and he instantly almost dropped the phone.

"Fuck! You hate it. You hate it don't you? Shit. Fuuuuuuck-"

"Joel-"

"I knew it, I knew I should've waited a little longer-"

"Joel-"

"Next time I'm gonna actually ask-"

"JOEEEEL. Shut. Up."

"What?" He asked quietly. Ray sighed, holding back the smile.

"I've been looking forward to that game since forever. I'd love to have it."

"Really?" Joel raised his eyebrows so quickly that he thought they'd take off from his forehead. Ray just quietly nodded.

"Yes. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"Please, please, next time I tell you I don't want something, don't be offended. It's not you. It's... It's a personal thing. Okay?"

"..."

"Joeeeel."

"Fiiiiine."

"I love you."

"mmmgh."

Ray chuckled. "Say it."

"Mmmmm?" Joel scrunched his nose.

"Say iiiiiit."

"... I love you too Ray."

"Good."


End file.
